With a section of the government employees planning a strike, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday issued a warning, saying the state will decide whether they should be given back their pens if they proceed with the "pen down strike".

Indicating that those joining the strike could lose their jobs, Mann added that Punjab has many educated, unemployed people ready to hold the pens of these employees, asserting that the public will not be allowed to be harassed because of the strike.

Over 2,000 employees under the banner of the Revenue Patwar Union and the Revenue Kanungo Association have called for an indefinite pen-down strike from Friday following the registration of a corruption case against a 'patwari' and a 'kanungo' (both revenue officials) in Sangrur district a week ago. The DC Office Employees' Association will observe a pen-down strike from September 11-13 to press for their various demands. 

In response to the strike call, Mann told the employees that if they went ahead with the pen-down strike, "the state government will decide whether to give them their pens back or not", indicating that they could lose their jobs.  In a post in Punjabi on X, Mann said, "As per information, patwaris, kanungos in favour of one of their colleagues involved in a bribery case and DC (deputy commissioners') office employees for their personal demands are going to go on a pen-down strike."

He added, "I want to tell you that they are free to go ahead with a pen-down strike but the state government will later decide whether to give them their pens back or not … we have many educated unemployed people who are ready to hold your pens. The people of Punjab will not be allowed to suffer."

Later, in a statement, Mann asked them not to proceed with their proposed strike for their vested interests or in support of those facing corruption charges. He said the state government is firmly committed to wiping out corruption.  It has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against corruption and neither any corrupt element nor their sympathisers will be spared in the drive to make the system transparent, clean and effective in the larger public interest.

The Revenue Patwar Union and the Revenue Kanungo Association have claimed that a false case was registered against their member and demanded that the FIR be withdrawn. On the other hand, around 3,500 employees under the banner of the DC Office Employees' Association are demanding promotions to the posts of superintendent grade-2 and senior assistants. The association claimed that 50 posts of superintendents grade-2 and 130 posts of senior assistants are lying vacant because of no promotions taking place in more than two years.

Giving a strict warning to the government employees planning to go on the pen-down strike in support of their corrupt colleagues, the Chief Minister said that such cavalier behavior of the employees will not tolerated at any cost and he will not allow people of suffer due to pointless strikes by the government employees. He said that his government is always ready to address the genuine demands of the employees but he won't accept blackmailing by them that too in support of those who have been arrested red-handed while looting the people. He said that he has directed that the Essential Services Maintenance Act be invoked so that strict action is taken against these erring employees in case they go on leave.

Brahamkumaris tie Rakhi to Himachal CM 

Shimla: The Brahamkumaris of Shimla branch celebrated the festival of 'Raksha Bandhan' by tying Rakhi to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday. The Chief Minister extended warm wishes to them and said that ‘Raksha Bandhan’ symbolizes the bond of love and affection thereby, fostering brotherhood amongst the society.